The LatinNews Podcast is a fortnightly deep dive into key developments from across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Real insights from the region’s sharpest minds.
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Season 1 | Episode 56
Under President Santiago Peña, Paraguay is enjoying economic stability, the fastest growth in Latin America, the lowest debt to GDP ratio in the region, a stable currency and the award of investment grade status for the first time ever.
And, while this is impressive and cause for celebration, analysts are asking what the Paraguayan government is doing to combat corruption?
On The LatinNews Podcast this week, we speak to Andrew Nickson, Honorary Reader in Public Management and Latin American Studies at the University of Birmingham and ask about Peña's successes and his shortcomings over the first two years of his government, and what we can predict for the remaining three years.
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In this episode we discuss:
• Paraguay’s economic growth and financial stability
• The persistence of corruption and its political implications
• Peña’s political strategy and party dynamics
• Risks and opportunities for Paraguay’s future
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Professor Andrew Nickson
Professor Andrew Nickson is Honorary Reader in Public Management and Latin American Studies at the University of Birmingham.
He is an internationally recognized expert on governance, public administration, and development in Latin America, with extensive field research experience across Paraguay, Bolivia, and Central America. His work examines the intersection of public sector reform, decentralization, and anti-corruption efforts in emerging democracies.
Professor Nickson has served as an advisor and consultant to a range of international organizations, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
He is also widely published on Latin American politics, local government, and state modernization, and has been a frequent contributor to discussions on Paraguay’s governance, political culture, and economic development.
The LatinNews Podcast is hosted by Richard McColl, a foreign correspondent in Colombia. Having first travelled to Colombia in the late 90s, McColl made the move to Bogotá in 2007. He holds a Diploma in Conflict resolution and a PhD in Social and Human Sciences both at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá. He has worked as a journalist across Latin America.
Political Analyst, Richard McColl